Blogging through Retirement with Mike Bellah, Ph.D.

The Journey of the Doll Cradle

“Why not now”? said my friend Sheryl Bullock who, approaching a 70th birthday, has written her first children’s book. “Why not take what we are learning and do something vibrant and exciting with it.”

According to Bullock, The Journey of the Doll Cradle sprang from a 14-month experience as a foster grandmother, a time when she realized the “disruption” and “upheaval” some children face. Bullock’s story tells of a doll cradle left behind accidentally when its owner, Cassie, and her parents move.

As it gets passed from place to place, the cradle develops “confidence and resiliency,” traits Bullock said are necessary for foster children and adoptees who face similar life transitions.

Bullock had advice for other retirees who want to write children’s stories. “Do some research at the library on how to write for kids. Join a local writers’ group and seek feedback from people who are willing to mentor you.”

Bullock’s enthusiasm for writing is palatable. Also, I was taken by her perspective on aging: “I feel like aging is really about growing whole rather than growing old. I like that. It makes me excited about the future.”